Tierra Hawkins is a rarity - her gracious talent and joyful spirit is something the Blowtique team is very proud of. She is not only one of our top stylists, but she is a personal favorite among our clients because she is so personable and kind.

What follows is an interview with Tierra, where we get to highlight her as both a respected stylist and a lovely person.

Why do you love your job?

I was born a hairstylist. I have been styling since I was six or seven years old - It’s a passion of mine and it’s just something comes naturally to me. Surprisingly, I never get bored of it! With any job it becomes draining, but i still look forward to coming to work every single day.

What is one way you like to make your client feel comfortable?

I always talk to them as if we are friends right off the bat. I want them to know I’m not here to sell them anything they don’t want or need. I feel that honesty always makes people more comfortable. No one wants to feel like they’re being lied to or like I’m just trying to sell them something. I wouldn’t treat clients any different than how I would treat a friend.

Definitely the Anti-Humidity Spray from Oribe. It’s very versatile and can be used on pretty much any texture of hair. Being from Chicago and living next to the lake, it’s definitely something that we need.

I’ve been listening to Daya playlists on Pandora. I love Daya and Lucci. They are completely opposite sounds, but I feel like I embody them both. I’m a free an empowering woman like Daya, and I’m sort of grungy like the trap rapper.

What would constitute as a perfect day for you?

I lost my father three years ago, so a perfect day for me would be going to an amusement park with my dad. The last roller coaster we went on was the Giant Drop and he almost had a heart attack -- it was hilarious!

For what in your life do you feel most grateful?

I am most grateful for the strong women that surround me. I came from a family of alpha women, my mom especially. My mother never really had to work for most of her life, but after we lost my father three years ago, she pulled everything up by the bootstraps and just made it work. She’s amazing, she just got up and did it, and got two children through school.

Even though she has so much going on in her own life, she always manages to make sure everyone in the family is okay, despite her own hardships.

The milkmaid braid, also known as the crown braid. It takes me like five minutes to do!

Take us through your daily beauty routine.

I always shower at night, otherwise I won’t have any time in the morning. My hair takes an hour and my makeup takes about 45 minutes. I always pin curl my hair with a big curling iron while listening to Pandora and dancing.

I will sit and watch the news and have a cup of coffee while I do my make up. I usually contour my face, but my lip color is my signature. I love really bright colors!